Musical instrument



May I16, 1950 J. SJLANDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed April 5.- 1948 Patented May 16, 19540 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Josef Sjlander, Stockholm, Sweden Application April 5, 1948, Serial No. 18,969 In Sweden April 11, 1947 3 Claims. l

The present invention relates to improvements in stringed instruments, particularly pianos, grand pianos and the like, and is substantially characterized by an endless band driven by an electric motor and arranged, in the proximity of the strings of the instrument and approximately at right angles to their longitudinal direction, against which band every string is adapted to be brought, during the running of the band, by means of manually operable keys. rIhe endless band is preferably mounted in a twisted condition, for instance along a felt bedding, in a manner such that the band is enabled for a certain length thereof to actuate some of the strings all over its width, and for another length to actuate other strings only by an edge portion of the band, all of the strings of the instrument being operable, however, by one and the same band. The endless band may consist of plastic material, and one end of each string may be operable by the depression of an ordinary key and by means of a spring, which is retracted to an initial position, when the key is no longer depressed. The speed of the driving motor for the endless band is controllable by means of a brake member or a pedal 0r the like actuating the control of the motor current.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a form of embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a grand piano, the

lid of which is removed, and which has incorporated therein an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is a Vertical section to a larger scale of a detail of the grand piano with a string and a key, and Fig. 3 represents a vertical section of a grand piano with the key thereof in depressed lposition.

In the various gures, i designates a grand piano, 2 the key, 3 and 4 strings in the bass octaves and the treble respectively, and 5 denotes an endless plastic band disposed at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the strings and adapted to be driven by an electric motor said band running over two guide wheels 'l and 8, the

axes of which are not parallel but disposed obliquely relatively to each other in such manner that the band is twisted to a certain extent, so that in the example of embodiment shown the band 5 runs parallel to and somewhat underneath the strings in the bass octaves (Fig. l) over its entire Width, when the strings are not actuated, whereas in the treble (Fig. 2) the band approaches the strings with an edge portion of the band. The band 5 preferably rests on a stationslide e, which is adapted to be displaced upwardly into an initial position by means of a drawspring l2 and to be depressed by the key, said slide having the one end of a string 3 (4) secured thereto. Through the depression of the key 2 a string is brought into contact with the endless band 5, which in operation serves as a bow on the string, a peculiar tone being thus produced. Said tone can be said to be an intermediate between a violin tone and an ordinary lpiano tone. The speed of the band 5 is controllable by means of a braking member l0. By means of arrangements (not shown) a resinous substance or the like may be applied to the band 5. In place of the braking member l, a pedal contrivance may be made use of, and if desired the motor current may of course be varied by means of an adjustable resistance. The arrangement according to the invention may be disconnectible, so that a piano or the like can be used in the ordinary manner.

Obviously, the details above described may also be constructed in other ways, without departing from the principle of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

l. In an instrument equipped with strings; a power driven endless bow-band arranged in the proximity of said strings and at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the latter, means for reciprocably moving each of said strings to and from said band, a pair of rollers arranged below said strings and rotatable about axes extending obliquely with respect to each other, whereby said endless band is guided over said rollers in twisted position, and stationary pad means for supporting said band between said rollers, a predetermined length of said twisted band being adapted to actuate some of said strings, another length of said twisted band being arranged to present an edge portion thereof for coaction with other of said strings.

2. In an instrument according to claim l, wherein said means for reciprocably moving each of said strings include a respective key and a slide member connected therewith, and means resiliently supporting one end of each string by the respective slide member.

3. In an instrument equipped with strings; a power driven endless bow-band arranged in the proximity of said strings and at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the latter, means ary felt bedding Il. Each key 2 is coupled to a 55 for reciprocably moving each of said strings to and from said band, means for guiding said endless band below said strings partly in parallel and partly in overedge position to said strings, whereby some of said strings may be brought in Contact with the Iparallel portion of said endless band, whereas other strings are adapted for contact with the edge portion of said band.

JOSEF SJLANDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record ln the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 653,135 Clark July 3, 190() 1,619,722 Grinoch et a1 -1 Mar. 1, 1927 

